Adjourning the case so that a pre-sentence report could be prepared for both sets of offences, Judge Denis Watson, QC, told him: “A custodial sentence is inevitable but a report will help me assess the risk you present and the length of sentence.”

He remanded him in custody until February 19 and ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register.

During his four-day trial the court heard that Owen had abused both boys after inviting them round to his home on separate occasions.

Prosecutors said the 37-year-old had groomed one of them over a long time and plied him with whiskey before assaulting him.

Charlotte Atherton, prosecuting, said the boy, who was 17 at the time of the alleged incident, was particularly vulnerable, which Owen knew.

Owen invited him to a “sleep over” and began drinking Jack Daniels whiskey and also gave several glasses to the boy, who became “clearly affected”.

Miss Atherton said: “At bedtime they went upstairs and the boy said he had no choice on where to sleep and the only place was in the room with the defendant on the defendant’s bed alongside him.”

She said that while there Owen sexually abused him and although the boy, who was embarrassed, did not then reveal what had happened, he had not wanted it to happen and Owen knew that.

The second incident happened nine months later and involved an 18-year-old friend of the first victim. Owen invited him to his home for lunch and then upstairs to see his sound system.

It was a hot day and Owen said he had a fan in his room so the youth went in and relaxed on the bed and fell asleep. He awoke to find Owen molesting him.

That youth later texted the other boy, who then revealed what had happened to him, and after he told his mother the police were notified.

Owen, an electrician, denied the allegations and told the court that the sexual activity had been consensual.

He was suspended by the Scout Association when the allegations came to light in August.